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Cheap Flights from Canberra to Cairns

Compare Canberra to Cairns flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Cairns

Book the best Cairns fare with no extra fees

Flight deals from Canberra to Cairns

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Canberra to Cairns? Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Cairns.R 2,595 per passenger.Departing Fri, 28 Aug.One-way flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound indirect flight with Virgin Australia, departs from Canberra on Fri, 28 Aug, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,595, select.
Cairns.R 2,629 per passenger.Departing Sun, 12 Jul.One-way flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound indirect flight with Virgin Australia, departs from Canberra on Sun, 12 Jul, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,629, select.
Cairns.R 2,663 per passenger.Departing Mon, 20 Apr.One-way flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound indirect flight with Virgin Australia, departs from Canberra on Mon, 20 Apr, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,663, select.
Cairns.R 2,693 per passenger.Departing Tue, 3 Mar.One-way flight with Jetstar.Outbound indirect flight with Jetstar, departs from Canberra on Tue, 3 Mar, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,693, select.
Cairns.R 2,696 per passenger.Departing Wed, 13 May.One-way flight with Jetstar.Outbound indirect flight with Jetstar, departs from Canberra on Wed, 13 May, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,696, select.
Cairns.R 2,889 per passenger.Departing Mon, 8 Jun.One-way flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound indirect flight with Virgin Australia, departs from Canberra on Mon, 8 Jun, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,889, select.
Cairns.R 2,893 per passenger.Departing Wed, 25 Feb.One-way flight with Jetstar.Outbound indirect flight with Jetstar, departs from Canberra on Wed, 25 Feb, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 2,893, select.
Cairns.R 3,084 per passenger.Departing Tue, 1 Dec.One-way flight with Jetstar.Outbound indirect flight with Jetstar, departs from Canberra on Tue, 1 Dec, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 3,084, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Canberra to Cairns

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like Canberra to Cairns flights are currently cheapest in August.
Feb
from R 2,893
Mar
from R 2,693
Apr
from R 2,663
May
from R 2,696
Jun
from R 2,889
Jul
from R 2,629
Aug
from R 2,595
Sep
from R 3,088
Oct
from R 3,256
Nov
Find prices
Dec
from R 3,084
Jan
Find prices

Canberra to Cairns: Alternative routes

Compare routes from Canberra to Cairns below. You may find an airport to fly into that's cheaper, faster, or easier than Cairns.

Cairns

4km from central Cairns
ClosestCheapest
from R 2,595
Search flights

Canberra to Cairns: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight foundR 2,595
Cheapest month to flyAugust

Check out these Cairns hotels

Ready to plan your stay? Other travellers rate these Cairns hotels for cleanliness, service and location.
Cairns Sheridan Hotel
2.88 km from Cairns
R 2 266
Per night
Reef Palms Motel Apartments
3.01 km from Cairns
R 1 155
Per night
Cairns Harbourside Hotel
3.29 km from Cairns
R 2 070
Per night
Cairns Sheridan Hotel
2.88 km from Cairns
R 2 266
Per night
Reef Palms Motel Apartments
3.01 km from Cairns
R 1 155
Per night
Cairns Harbourside Hotel
3.29 km from Cairns
R 2 070
Per night
Explore top-rated hotels

Finding cheap flights from Canberra to Cairns: Frequently asked questions

The best price we found for a return flight from Canberra to Cairns is R 5,371. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
Currently, there are no airlines that fly direct from Canberra to Cairns. But we found flights with one or more stops from R 5,371.
As of February 2026, there are no flights flying from Canberra to Cairns.
The cheapest month to fly from Canberra to Cairns is usually August.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport on Friday, 28 August 2026.
No airlines currently offer direct flights between Canberra Airport and Cairns Airport. Most routes have one or more stops.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Cairns but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Cairns is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
Currently, Virgin Australia offers the cheapest flight tickets to Cairns.

Flying from Canberra Airport (CBR) to Cairns Airport (CNS): what you need to know

  • Hop on a direct flight from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport and you'll be travelling for an average of 3 hours 10 minutes.

  • Cairns is one hour behind Canberra and observes the UTC+10 timezone.

  • To ensure you get on your CBR to CNS flight, leave plenty of time to check in and drop off your luggage. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the general rule.

  • You'll likely experience bigger queues in popular months such as February. Arriving up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for domestic departures will help ensure a smooth travel experience.

  • Qantas offers direct flights from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport. Book with this popular airline, then get ready to see the sights in Cairns — and maybe even more of Australia if time allows.

  • Qantas is the airline most travellers choose to fly with on this route.

  • If you want to explore another city along the way, just uncheck 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport. Here are the most popular stopovers between CBR and CNS:

    • Brisbane Airport

    • Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport

    • Melbourne Tullamarine Airport

How to find the cheapest flights from Canberra Airport (CBR) to Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • R 2,595 is currently the best price for a one-way Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport flight. Return flights start at R 5,371. These fares can change depending on availability and demand.

  • Book six months before flying. After crunching the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you'll want to book ahead to secure cheap tickets from CBR to CNS.

  • The cheapest month for flights from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport is May. Use the 'Whole month' tool to see the lowest airfares if you have a flexible schedule.

  • Finding cheap flights from CBR to CNS is easy with Price Alerts. All you need to do is set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch as soon as a new deal comes up.

  • Tailor your flights using filters. Choose your preferred arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort the results by 'Cheapest,' 'Best' or 'Fastest' flights from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport.

Handy information about Canberra Airport (CBR)

  • 72.61% of flights that leave from Canberra Airport touch down at their destination on time.

  • To reach Canberra Airport from central Canberra, it'll take about 15 minutes if you're planning to drive. This depends on traffic, however. It's approximately 8 kilometres from the airport to the city centre.

  • Expect a journey time of about 1 hour 5 minutes when using public transport.

  • Catching an early flight from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport? Avoid the stress of rushing to the airport (and get some extra shut-eye) by choosing one of these stays near CBR:

Arriving at Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're landing late on a Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport flight. Stay at one of these accommodation options near CNS instead:

  • Grab a Cairns Airport rental car and discover Cairns and beyond with your own set of wheels. Simba car hire, Bargain Car Rentals and East Coast are well-known companies you can book with here.

  • For the lowest price, book your ride from Cairns Airport around two weeks before your trip.

Getting from Cairns Airport (CNS) to central Cairns

  • Cairns Airport is roughly 6 kilometres from central Cairns. The drive time takes around 10 minutes.

  • Getting to the centre by public transport takes roughly 1 hour 25 minutes.

When to fly to Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • The quietest month for a flight from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport is February, while July is the most popular. Pick the ideal time to visit Cairns based on whether you prefer a more relaxed vibe or a faster pace.

  • Before locking in your flight from Canberra Airport to Cairns Airport, consider the type of weather you enjoy. January is the warmest month in Cairns, with the temperature ranging from 23ºC (73ºF) to 31ºC (88ºF).

  • If you'd rather travel in cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from CBR to CNS in August. Average temperatures are between 16ºC (61ºF) and 25ºC (77ºF) then.

Explore more of Australia

  • You've done Cairns, now it's time to explore other parts of Australia. Travel around 290 kilometres south to Townsville to tick off its leading attractions. From The Strand Beach to Castle Hill and Big Mama Sailing- Magnetic Island & Townsville, your itinerary will be busy.

  • Bowen is another sought-after destination in Australia and is around 434 kilometres south-east of Cairns. No journey is complete without visiting Holbourne Island National Park, The Big Mango and Grays Bay.

Plan the rest of your trip from Canberra to Cairns

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.